Staff Spotlight: Maggie Miland

Maggie is an Account Manager with TechChange, where she works with partners to develop memorable eLearning experiences. Prior to joining TechChange, Maggie cultivated action-oriented workshops and conferences for social purpose organizations across North America using her skills as a visual notetaker and design thinking facilitator. Maggie has lived in France and Canada, obtaining her B.A. in International Relations from the University of British Columbia. 

Q: So, tell us more about yourself. How did you end up working in education?

From a young age, I saw education as a daily practice where our peers and neighbors are some of our best teachers. I particularly paid attention to opinions and experiences that were different from my own, which led me to live and study abroad and pursue a degree in International Relations at the University of British Columbia. I wanted to make sense of the world around me, knowing that change happens collectively. One of the vital components to sustainable change in our interconnected world is discussing with and listening to each other – learning from our neighbors. I found that my most helpful contribution to these conversations was to include a diversity of perspective and learning styles by visualizing key themes as they occur. As a graphic facilitator, I use these skills in virtual settings to create interactive visual summaries that show collective impact in accessible and digital formats. It is my goal to support the practice of life-long learning as a way to solve our world’s most pressing challenges.

Q: How did you first hear about TechChange?

It was pretty surreal. Back in 2019, I attended the Social Enterprise World Forum in Ethiopia and met the folks behind an Australian-based podcast called Impact Boom. I was listening to an episode one morning recently, and the guest was Nick Martin. He talked about TechChange, and I found myself thinking “this is the kind of social enterprise that I could only dream of working with.” After taking a deep dive into TechChange’s work, I saw that they were hiring for a position that spoke to my skills and interests, and I just had a gut feeling that it was something I had to go for.

Q: What are some of your favorite parts of working at TechChange so far?

The TechChange team is pretty incredible. I feel so supported and inspired by everyone! There’s also this balance of continuous learning between team members and autonomy. We trust each other to get things done, but there are opportunities for collaboration built into our work. I really appreciate that TechChange lives out this notion that people thrive as life-long learners, especially in this digital age. 

Q: What excites you about this role?

There is nothing more exciting than witnessing lightbulb moments. I love supporting the people behind complex and impactful social movements, bringing clarity to their visions. As an Account Manager with TechChange, I look forward to using my unique toolkit of visual thinking, facilitation, and connecting with diverse groups of people to empower our partners to make an even bigger impact in our communities.

Q: Anything you look forward to working on or learning at TechChange in the next year?

I’m fortunate to be able to learn from the best and brightest at TechChange. While the world was already in need of virtual platforms for education and convening, the past year has fast-forwarded that timeline. Working with the TechChange team at this point in time allows me to work with cutting-edge technology and education practices. I’m particularly excited to see how we might be able to bring engaging and equitable eLearning experiences to places that need lowtech solutions.

Q: Lastly, what’s something that not a lot of people know about you?

One of my favorite places to be is on a bike. While some people dread climbing hills, I love that moment of giving a steep climb everything I’ve got just as much as I look forward to gaining speed on the other side. I’d like to think that’s also a metaphor for how I live my life. My biking adventures also come with their fair share of stories, like that one time I was mountain biking in the foothills of the French Alps, got a flat, and had to be rescued, or when I got stung by a bee (I’m allergic) 14 miles into a 55 mile bike ride…